Tall Pine RR

Track plan at a glance Name: Tall Pine RR Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 14 x 24 feet Prototype: freelanced Era: 1940s Style: walkaround Mainline run: 125 feet Minimum radius: 24″ Minimum turnout: no. 6 Maximum grade: 3 percent Originally appeared in the January 2008 issue of Model Railroader. See a PDF version of this track […]

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Rod Stewart and model railroads

Glamour shot of Rod Stewart from 2007.

WAUKESHA, WI — Hall of fame rock-n-roller, Rod Stewart, unwinds after a concert by kitbashing and scratchbuilding. These terms may sound like code words that explain the mysterious antics of a world-famous celebrity, but instead they describe techniques for one of the world’s most popular hobbies: model railroading. The acclaimed songwriter of hits like “Forever […]

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Southern Pacific Bakersfield Subdivision

Track plan at a glance Name: Southern Pacific Bakersfield subdivisions Scale: N (1:160) Size: 9 x 30½ feet Prototype: Southern Pacific’s crossing of the Tehachapi Mountains (Santa Fe has trackage rights) Theme: heavy freight and passenger mountain crossing Period: 1950s to present Style: around the walls and peninsula Minimum radius: 21″ Minimum turnout: no. 6 […]

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Central Vermont

Track plan at a glance Name: Central Vermont Scale: N Originally appeared in the February 2000 issue of Model Railroader. See a PDF version of this track plan by clicking here. […]

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Donner Pass Division

Track plan at a glance Name: Donner Pass Division Scale: N (1:160) Size: 3 x 8 feet Prototype: Southern Pacific Period: 1940-1955 Style: twice around loop Mainline run: 33 feet Minimum radius: 10″ Minimum turnout: no. 4 Maximum grade: 2 percent Originally appeared in the September 2000 issue of Model Railroader. Also appeared in 102 […]

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Pennsylvania RR Middle Division

Track plan at a glance Name: Pennsylvania RR Middle Division Scale: N (1:160) Size: 2½ x 10 feet Prototype: Pennsylvania RR Era: 1950s Style: double-track oval with staging tracks Mainline run: 45 feet Minimum radius: 12½” Minimum turnout: no. 6 Maximum grade: zero Originally appeared in the January 2001 issue of Model Railroader. Also appeared […]

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The Greenbrier Branch of the Chesapeake & Ohio

Track plan at a glance Name: Greenbrier Branch of the Chesapeake & Ohio Scale: HO and HOn3 (1:87.1) Size: 15 x 24 feet Prototype: C&O, Greenbrier Logging Co. Period: 1930s to 1950s Style: walk-in Mainline run: 80 feet standard gauge, 30 feet narrow gauge Minimum radius: 24″ Minimum turnout: no. 5 Maximum grade: 2.5 percent […]

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Missouri Pacific RR’s Arkansas Division

Track plan at a glance Name: Missouri Pacific RR’s Arkansas Division Scale: N (1:160) Size: 11′-0″ x 12′-6″ Era: Early 1960s Style: walkaround on two levels with peninsula Mainline run: 180 feet Minimum radius: 18″ (15″ in small helix) Minimum turnout: no. 8 (main), no. 6 (yards and sidings) Maximum grade: 2.5 percent (in small […]

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Atchison, Topeka, & Santa Fe Railway

Track plan at a glance Name: Atchison, Topeka, & Santa Fe Railway Scale: N (1:160) Size: 20 x 22 feet Prototype: Raton Pass on the First District of the Santa Fe’s New Mexico Division Period: summer 1950 Style: linear walkaround Mainline run: 202 feet (120 feet visible; 92 feet hidden including helix) Minimum radius: 21″ […]

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Black Rock & Marmot Ry.

Track plan at a glance Name: Black Rock & Marmot Ry. Scale: N (1:160) Size: 14 x 14 feet Prototype: free-lance Period: 1960s Style: around the walls with a peninsula Mainline run: 68 feet (2.1 scale miles) Minimum radius: 18″ Minimum turnout: Peco no. 8 Maximum grade: 2.5 percent Originally appeared in the December 1999 […]

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Central New England RR

Track plan at a glance Name: Central New England Scale: HO (1:87.1) Size: 24 x 35 feet Prototype: Erie Lackawanna; New York, New Haven & Hartford; Boston & Maine; and Maine Central railroads Period: 1954 to 1966 Style: walk-in Mainline run: upper level 300 feet, lower line 160 feet Minimum radius: 30″ Minimum turnout: no. […]

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Deep Run RR

Track plan at a glance Name: Deep Run RR Scale: On2 1/2 Size: 17′-3″ x 42′-6″ Prototype: freelanced Era: mid-1950s Style: walk-in Mainline run: 77 feet Minimum radius: 18″ Maximum grade: 1 percent Originally appeared in the November 2007 issue of Model Railroader. See a PDF version of this track plan by clicking here. […]

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